Swing-away can opener



May 11, 1965 N. DUDKO SWING-AWAY CAN OPENER Filed Jan. 23, 1963 INVENTOR. N/CHOLAS DUDKO ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,182,946 SWING-AWAY CAN OPENER Nicholas Dudko, 44 Calumet Ave., Hastings on Hudson, NY. Filed Jan. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 253,474 Claims. (Cl. 248-291) The present invention relates to a vertical retractable can opener adapter mount. While there exist many can openers and can opener mount brackets including swingaway features and can openers and mounting brackets retractable into containers, none of such cited have met the problem the present invention has solved. According to the present invention, a simple, inexpensive can opener mounting bracket is adapted to receive a mounting such as is used by most conventional swing-away or wall mounting can openers.

in the past wall mounted can openers protruded in a dangerous, inconvenient and ugly way into a kitchen and when wall mounted can openers were designed to be easily detached from their wall mounting and placed in some drawer or receptacle, inconvenience and nonavailability was experienced in having to search for the can opener and reattach it to its wall mounting before it could be used.

According to the present invention, such Wall mounted or swing-away can openers are adapted to be mounted on the bracket of the present invention, which may be attached inside the kitchen cabinet or other type cabinets. When the can opener attached to the mounting bracket of the present invention is desired for use, such can opener may be lifted up slightly, then swung outward and downward into the normal protruding position in the kitchen and used in the conventional manner. When not in use such can opener may be lifted vertically and then swung upward and backward into the closet from which it is mounted and in its vertically extended position not subtract any appreciable amount from the space available for storage and other purposes within such kitchen cabinets or other cabinets and yet allow such can opener to be closed away from sight and protrusion into the kitchen cabinet or the closed kitchen cabinet door.

Normally the horizontal swing-away or wall mounted can opener mounted on the conventional wall mounting bracket, even if mounted on a kitchen cabinet door would protrude into the normal storage area of a kitchen cabinet, requiring relatively large vacant area in back of the cabinet door on which it was mounted which could not be used for its normal kitchen cabinet or other cabinet purposes.

Although such novel features as are believed to be characteristic of the invention and are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be further understood by reference to the the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded front-elevation perspective of I a vertically retractable can opener adapter mount of the present invention. I

FIG. 2 is a front-elevation perspective view of a vertically retractable can opener adapter mount of the present invention, as mounted with the normal wall mounting porting of the normal can opener shown attached.

FIG. 3 is the mounting bracket of FIG. 2 showing its backward rotation with the normal wall mounting portion of the can opener mounted asv swung backward in a kitchen cabinet; i i 3 FIG. 4 is an end-section view of a can opener adapted to the mounting bracket of the present invention or adapted to be mounted directly into the bracket without additional can opener mounting.

3,132,946 Patented May 11, 1965 FIG. 5 showsa can opener and the bracket of the present invention vertically retracted into its cabinet.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures, and where prime numerals denote other embodiments of like parts.

The mounting bracket 1 of the present invention is made up of a base 2, the mounting block 3, a mounting block frame 4, and a locking element 5.

The base 2 includes a bottom member 6 which may further include a channel 7 and openings 8 to receive screws 9 or rivets so that the bottom member 6 of the base 2 may be attached firmly to the kitchen cabinet 10. Extending forward and upward from the bottom member 6 of the base 2 are two side members 11.

Each side member 11 includes a rounded surface 12 on its periphery ending in a declivity 13 which abuts upon a stop 14. Within the upright portion of each side member 11 is a flared-curve channel 15 and vertically set within each side member at right angles to but separate from the flared-curve channel 15 is a small channel 16.

Mounting block 3 is adapted to fit snugly into the mounting block frame 4. Mounting block 3 within the frame 4 may be mounted to the base by being secured with flush-head nails 17, rivets, or screws sliding through the pivot channel 16 holding the block 3 and frame 4 to the side members at the level of the base. Guide pins 18 protrude from the mounting block frame 4 to be attached to the mounting block 3. These guide pins are adapted to travel on the round surface 12 of the side members 11 as the mounting block 3 and frame 4- are rotationally pivoted about the flush-head nail 17 in the pivot channel 16 and rest in the declivity 13. The mounting block frame 4 includes notches 19 adapting to receive the end of spring 20. v v

In the assembled mounting bracket 1, locking element 5 is mounted straddling the side members 11 with the flush-head nail 17 passing through holes 21 and through pivot channel 16 into the mounting block 3 and mounting block frame 4. Round-head nails, rivet or screw may be used instead of flush-head nails 17 to attach locking element 5, the mounting blockp3, the mounting block frame 4 to the side members of the base while passing through pivot channel 16. When mounted, the detent 22 inwardly extending from the locking element 5 rides in flared channel 15.

When a can opener provided with the end portion as shown in FIG. 4 is employed the mounting block 3 and mounting block frame 4 and spring 20 need not be employed and the can opener end 23 attached to the mounting bracket 4 byrivets 24 or screws passing throughholes 25 in the can opener end 23.

The channel 7 in base 2 provides a strengthening spine to the base and a raised area to protect the mounting block frame 4 from riding on top of the heads of screws 9. While channel 7 is important, it is not indispensible to the operation of the opener mounting bracket 1 and screws 9 might be provided with fiat heads, or a depres- 1 is impeded or stopped by the depth of the declivity 13.

holding the pin 18 in place. 1

When a conventional can opener mounting bracket 26 is attached to mounting block 3 with a conventional can opener 27 inserted or attached in a conventional manner, the forward position of the mounting block 3 and mounting block frame 4 with pin 18 in declivity 13 projects the can opener 27 into horizontal position from the kitchen cabinet, or other cabinet, in which it is mounted into a kitchen or other area ready for use. In this position the can opener 27 may be usable but subject to the jiggling which may be too unsteady for practical use of the can opener. In the forward position of the locking element 5 the detent 22 of the locking element 5 is held fairly tightly in the end portion of flared-curve channel 15, allowing no vertical movement of the mounting block 3 or mounting block frame 4 and effectively locks the pin 18 into declivity 13, which then can neither rise nor move backward again to the side of the declivity 13. In this position the lock 5 maintains the attached can opener firmly enough for all normal use.

In order to remove the extended can opener 27 back to its vertical position in the kitchen cabinet from Which it has been extended, the locking element 5 must be swung back to its horizontal position. A simple upward movement from the end of the can opener 27 may be sufiicient to drive the mounting block 3 and mounting block frame 4 up into the pivot channel 16 in such a way that the guide pin 18 is lifted from the declivity 13 and the whole mounting block 3 and mounting block frame 4 may be rotated backward, to its vertical position. In this vertical position the can opener 27 on the mounting bracket 1 generally has a center of gravity lying slightly rearward of its vertical position so that the bracket is unlikely to swing forward into its horizontal position of its own accord.

To further prevent the bracket from swinging forward into its horizontal position of its own accord, the detent 22 of the locking element 5, abuts against the bottom portion of flared-curve channel 15, and guide pin 18 abuts against the rounded surface 12. In this position looking element 5 is slightly raised from the horizontal and acts as an effective lock preventing the bracket from swinging into its horizontal position of its own accord. Raising the bracket slightly vertically causes the locking element 5 and the guide pins 18 to release and the mounting block frame and mounting block 3 can be easily rtated so that the can opener bracket can assume a horizontal position.

In retracting the extended can opener from its forward position, if a gentle movement upward of the can opener 27 does not disengage the pin 18 from the declivity 13, a gentle further down movement on the end of the locking element causes the detent 22 to act as the fulcrum of a lever riding in the end portion of the flared-curve channel 15. This lifts the mounting block 3 and mounting block frame 4, which is somewhat slidably attached to pivot channel 13, permitting the can opener 27 to be swung backward into its normal position hidden inside the kitchen cabinet 10. The vertically retractable can opener mount is fastened within the kitchen cabinet or other cabinet so as not to interfere with normal closing or opening of'the cabinet doors. In order to prevent detachable wall mounted can openers and horizontal swing-away can openers from falling off their mounting brackets when placed in a vertical retracted position in a kitchen cabinet or other cabinet, the ends of spring are placed into notches 19 while the spring 20 applies adequate pressure on the can opener to prevent its unintended disengagement from its mounting bracket.

For practicalities in manufacture mounting block 3 and mounting block frame 4 are two units. It would have cost too much within the scope of the present invention to have a single unit with the necessary pins operated either without the mounting block frame 4 or as a molded plastic unit including protruding pin 18 or adapted to receive protruding pin 18 and flush-head nail 17 to form a hinge.

While the mounting block frame 4 is important, it is 4 not indispensable to the operation of the opener mounting bracket 1 and round head nails may be driven into the mounting block 3 to provide holding members for the ends of spring 20.

Of course the adapter mount of the present invention can be used with almost any appliance retractable into most cabinets.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms of description, it should be recognized, though, that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A movable mounting device comprising a base, spaced apart side members substantially vertical to said base, at least one of said side members including a curved channel, means adapted to support selected apparatus mounted on said side members and adapted to pivot from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, and U-shaped locking means attached to said side members adapted to lock said support means in its horizontal position.

2. A movable mounting device comprising a base, spaced apart side members substantially vertical to said base, at least one of said side members including a curved channel and; a pivot channel means adapted to support selected apparatus mounted on said side members and adapted to pivot from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, and U-shaped locking means attached to said side members adapted to lock said support means in its horizontal position.

3. A movable mounting device comprising a base, spaced apart side members substantially vertical to said base, at least one of said side members including a curved channel; a pivot channel; and guide means, means adapted to support selected apparatus mounted on said side members and adapted to pivot from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, and U- shaped locking means attached to said side members adapted to lock said support means in its horizontal position.

4. A movable mounting device comprising a base, spaced apart side members substantially vertical to said base, at least one of said side members including a channel; a pivot channel; guide means; and a declivity in each said side member, means adapted to support selected apparatus mounted on said side members and adapted to pivot from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, means on said support means adapted to traverse the periphery of said side members and rest in said declivity, and U-shaped locking means attached to said side members adapted to lock said support means in its horizontal position.

5. A movable mounting device comprising a base, spaced apart side members substantially vertical to said base, means adapted to support selected apparatus mounted on said side members and adapted to pivot from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, and U-shaped locking means attached to said side members adapted to lock said support means in its horizontal position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 394,094 6/33 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

1. A MOVABLE MOUNTING DEVICE COMPRISING A BASE, SPACED APART SIDE MEMBERS SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL TO SAID BASE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS INCLUDING A CURVED CHANNEL, MEANS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT SELECTED APPARATUS MOUNTED ON SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND ADAPTED TO PIVOT FROM A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION TO A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION, AND U-SHAPED LOCKING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID SIDE MEMBERS ADAPTED TO LOCK SAID SUPPORT MEANS IN ITS HORIZONTAL POSITION. 